Supporting strap for cameras or binoculars



June 30, 1953 J. RQBATES 2,643,803

SUPPORTING STRAP FOR CAMERAS 0R BINOCULARS Filed March 15, 1951 Fig INVENTOR. Jack R Bales Patented June 30, 1953 OFFICE SUPPORTING STRAP FOR, CAMERAS on BINOCULARS Jack R. Bates, San Anselmo, Calif. Application March 15, 1951, 'S erial No. 215,768

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in wearing apparel and has particular reference to a supporting harness to be worn by a person, whereby equipment may be attached thereto, as, for instance, binoculars, cameras and the like.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a harness arrangement which will effectively maintain the equipment, such as a pair of binoculars or a camera, in close contact with the chest of the wearer, so that the wearer will have the instrument handy at all times and yet will not be bothered with the swinging of the equipment, as, for instance, a soldier in crawling over the terrain.

A further object is to provide means which will be sufficiently flexible to accommodate wearers of different sizes, and also flexible enough to enable the wearer to extend the equipment to the point of use without undue strain.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following de-- scription.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numbers are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. l is a perspective view of my harness; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the harness in use.

Soldiers, hunters, explorers and the like frequently carry binoculars, cameras and other equipment necessary in carrying out their object and it has been customary to, for instance,

hang binoculars or cameras over the shoulder or around the neck, and as a result this equipment swings back and forth and becomes very annoying, liable to catch in the branches of trees or in fences, and the like, or, if the user has to crawl, as a soldier is often required to do, the equipment will drag upon the ground and become damaged.

Applicant has therefore devised a harness which may be worn either under or over the garment, such as, a coat, vest, or blouse, which harness serves to support the equipment, such as, a camera, against the chest of the wearer where it is instantly available, and, through resilient connections can be extended to a point in front of the user readily for use, and, when released, would automatically return to its position against the chest of the wearer.

Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a sectional belt, the front ends of which are connected together by a buckle 6, the rear ends of which engage a ring I. This belt is adjustable so as to accommodate for the growth of the wearer at a point just below the armpits.

The numerals 8 and 9 designate shoulder straps, the rear ends of which are connected to the ring 1 and the forward ends of which are slidably secured on the front portions of the belt 5. Adjustable hold-down strap II has one end connected to the ring 1 and is provided with a clip l2, which may be secured to the rear of the trousers or to the pants belt, as shown in Fig. 2.

Mounted upon the straps 8 and 9 are spring retainers or guides l3 and M respectively. These retainers are slidable on the straps and are adjustably held in position by a hook as shown at l6, see Fig. 2, which hook may be engaged with one of the eyelets ll formed in the strap, as, for instance, the strap 8. The retainer [3 serves to house a spring I8, while the retainer [4 houses a spring IS, the rear end of the spring in each instance being secured within the retainer, while the forward or free ends of each spring has a quick-engaging clasp, as shown at 2| and 22.

The result of this construction is that when it is desired to carry, as, for instance, binoculars, shown at A in Fig. 2, it is merely necessary to secure the quick-engaging clasp to the customary eyes of the binoculars and, by then releasing the binoculars, the springs l8 and 2| will hold the binoculars tight against the chest. But when it is desired to use them, by merely grasping the binoculars in the usual manner, and pulling forward on the springs l8 and I9, they can be easily extended to the positions shown in Fig. 2.

Thus it will be apparent that any equipment which is attached to the harness, may be readily available whenever desired and yet protected during the various maneuvers of the wearer.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described to be worn by a person and comprising a belt adapted to encircle a person at a point adjacent the armpits, a pair of shoulder straps slidably and adjustably secured to said belt, a retainer slidably and adjustably mounted on each of said shoulder straps, a resilient member mounted in each of said retainers and substantially covered thereby and having one end thereof secured to its retainer, the free end of each of said resilient members having a clasp for attaching an article suspended between the free ends of said resilient members.

A body harness comprising a sectional belt, a of shoulder straps adjustably secured to said belt and being of a length normally to position the belt across the chest of the wearer, a guide carried by each shoulder strap, resilient means extending through each guide and substantially covered thereby with the rear end thereof anchored at the rear of the harness, and article securing means carried by the front end of the resilient means forwardly of the guide whereby an article attached to the front ends of both resilient means is normally maintained in juxtaposition to the chest of the wearer.

3. A body harness comprising a sectional belt, a pair of shoulder straps adjustably secured to said belt and being of a length normally to position the belt across the chest of the wearer, a spring retainer guide carried by each shoulder strap, a coil spring extending through each guide JACK R. BATES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,018,771 Neuburger Feb. 27, 1912 1,198,602 Sweeny Sept. 19, 1916 1,288,170 Pick Dec. 17, 1918 1,566,192 Forrest Dec. 15, 1925 2,477,432 Walsh July 26, 1949 2,505,640 Fitch Apr. 25, 1950 

